President Goodshow (Damarane) didn't wait for Shadow's reply, continuing his monologue with a smug grin.
"As far as I know, the Viridian Gym has been in disrepair for years. The entire structure is a hazard. To rebuild a gym of that scale requires a massive fortune."
"Even if that brat tries to apply for League funding, I can simply claim that the League is broke after the great war with Team Rocket. If he somehow manages to rebuild the gym himself, it proves he obtained a large sum of money from elsewhere."
"The moment I trace that money to an 'unidentified source,' I can bypass Agatha and order the League Inspectors to arrest him. The Viridian Gym position will fall back into my lap, and I can appoint whoever I want with a single word." Goodshow laughed triumphantly.
"But what if the kid raises the funds through legitimate means?" a new voice echoed in the office. A figure appeared silently from the corner.
"Dark, you're here," Shadow acknowledged. These two were the "Shadow Brothers," Elite-tier trainers who handled Goodshow's security and his dirty work.
"I've already spoken to the noble families," Dark reported. "Team Rocket hit them hard during the invasion. They blame the Elite Four for not doing enough and have already developed a grudge against the kid since Agatha and Lorelei are protecting him. No noble will invest a cent in him. Even if he finds the money, a gym can't be built in a day. And the President still has that one trump card the kid won't see coming."
Goodshow's eyes flashed with cunning. Little did he know, Feng Che had already anticipated this "Old Fox's" move. Feng Che guessed that the League would intentionally withhold maintenance funds to trap him. If he used Rocket money, he'd be finished.
That was exactly why Feng Che had targeted the Yin-Xiao brothers. He had dragged the infamous wanted criminals directly to Officer Jenny in Viridian City. After confirmation, he was handed a massive bounty—legitimate, League-issued cash.
Viridian Gym Grounds
Feng Che looked at the dilapidated gym, a headache brewing. "Now I just need a construction team."
Suddenly, Foxie and Pakudo walked up to him, looking uncharacteristically shy.
"Gym Leader Feng Che... does your offer still stand?" Foxie asked.
"Huh?" Feng Che blinked.
"You said you wanted to recruit us to help manage this place," Pakudo said bluntly.
"I thought you were the 'die before surrendering' types?" Feng Che teased.
"We thought about it," Pakudo explained. "Years of being bounty hunters... it's exhausting. We want a change of identity. A fresh start."
Foxie reached out and interlaced her fingers with Pakudo's. "We realized our past was meaningless. We want to do something that actually matters."
"Of course," Feng Che smiled. "But I have a problem. I need to rebuild this place, and I don't have a designer or a builder I can trust."
"Leave it to me!" Foxie said excitedly. "Before I was a hunter, I was a top-tier architect."
"And I was a contractor," Pakudo added, looking tenderly at Foxie. "My studio went bankrupt, which led me to the life of a hunter. Now that I've found my true love, I want to go back to my roots."
Feng Che breathed a sigh of relief. He knew these two were honorable despite their past. He exchanged contact info and handed over the entire bounty from the Yin-Xiao brothers as a down payment. "If you need more, I'll find a way. I'm heading back to my Foster House; the League's spies are likely watching my every move right now."
Celadon Foster House
Feng Che and Mewtwo teleported back. In the backyard, Feng Che rubbed his eyes in disbelief. Instead of one Zeraora, there were three.
One large Zeraora sat watching two tiny ones play. One cub was a shimmering silver-white, while the other was blue-black with a black lightning bolt mark on its forehead.
"They hatched already?" Feng Che gasped.
"I don't know how, but they just... came out," Zeraora explained. "I've named them Kuro (Black) and Shiro (White)."
"I'm opening the Foster House officially in a few days," Feng Che told her. "You and the cubs stay deep in the back; I won't let anyone disturb you. I'll provide all the resources you and the little ones need for training."
As he walked into the main shop, a familiar face greeted him.
"Greetings, Senior Executive Feng Che. I am Jessica."
Jessica, looking like a fashionista, walked in leading a Furfrou. "Long time no see, Feng Che. Thanks to you, I've been promoted to the Secret Affairs division."
She adjusted her gold glasses. "Lord Giovanni sent me to read you the report on Sakaki Tsu. He was the one behind the attack on your Foster House and the letters to the League. As compensation, Team Rocket has dismantled the Sky Foster House and seized their assets. They are yours to use for recruitment. As for Tsu, he's been stripped of his Pokémon and exiled to a deserted island."
"To ensure this doesn't happen again, I've been appointed your exclusive liaison," Jessica smiled. "I should thank Sakaki Tsu; if he wasn't so reckless, I wouldn't have landed this dream assignment."
Three Days Later: Grand Re-Opening
The Celadon Foster House was decorated with lanterns and streamers. Feng Che deployed almost his entire team to welcome guests.
Galarian Slowbro and Slowking were handing out flyers to passersby. Kleavor stood at the door like a guardian deity. Salazzle used her flames to create intricate patterns in the air, while Hippowdon and Dwebble created mesmerizing quicksand fountains.
"It's finally open!" "I heard the owner is the new Viridian Gym Leader!" "The credit of a Gym Leader is top-tier. It's just like Erika's Perfume Shop."
The shop was instantly packed with trainers, eager to see the man who had defeated Red and claimed one of the League's most mysterious titles.